Of Sun, Moon And Cards
by Star Magick
Summary: She is a powerful sorceress who had been forbidden to do magic. When disaster strikes, she decides to move on and forge her own destiny. This one action sets for a series of events that shape the future. SMCCS
1. Book One: Beginning of a Legend

A/N: Hello minna! ~waves enthusiastically~ Before anything, I would like to apologize to the readers of _Joined By One Man_. I wanted to update, I really did, but I can't get the idea on paper! URG! I am so annoyed. Anyways, guess what I did!!! I PLAYED AT THE WINSPEAR CENTRE!!!! I don't know if this means anything to you guys, but it's like THE BEST place to play with a band. Like as in the best place in North America. I feel so special! 

So, this is my new story. There's not really a crossover in this chapter, but it gives IMPORTANT info. The writing style is kinda different than my other pieces too, but I hope you like it and please review! 

Of Sun, Moon, and Cards   
Book One   
The Beginning Of A Legend

One clear night, a beautiful baby girl was born on the full moon. Notice that I did not say "During the full moon". This is because the baby was of the lunarians, the people of the moon. You might be thinking, "Oh gee, there's people that live on the moon. What's so important about this?" The answer is that she was no mere commoner, she was the princess, and her name was Serenity. 

Serenity was the heir to the Ginzuishou, the most powerful source in the universe. There was conflict as to how it was made, but one thing was certain: only someone of royal lunarian blood could wield it. There was also a legend the crystal would one day fuse with the most pure royal. Then, and only then, would the royal be able to do all forms of magic. 

For you see, while royalty from all the planets had magic, it was confined to a certain element, and only one generation at a time could have it. It was for these reasons Serenity surprised them. 

She could do magic. 

At the age of one , she levitated her first object. She had woken up hungry in the middle of the night. Her milk was on the table beside her, placed in a mechanism to keep it warm. Instead of crying (which most children her age would do), she focused her thoughts on the bottle. Not really knowing what she was doing, but trusting the feeling inside her. The bottle slowly started to levitate, moving slowly, until it was floating just above her head. Now the dilemma: how to get it down. A cry came several minutes later, quickly sending Queen Selenity into her daughter's room. It was not because of the fact that the bottle wouldn't drop, but for the fact that it had… right on Serenity's head. 

When she was six, she did her first public display of magic. A council had been called between the inner planets. Queens from Mercury, Venus, Mars and Jupiter, as well as their daughters, had been summoned by to the conference room where the queens discussed and the children played. Serenity had been showing them her favourite doll, Usagi, when Princess Rei of Mars had accidentally called upon her magic (which she and the other princesses, with the exception of Serenity, had gotten a fortnight[1] ago) and burned the poor little doll to a crisp. Serenity started to cry as Rei was scolded. Then, a most extraordinary thing happened. The moon princess' hands started to glow, and, within seconds, Usagi was in perfect condition. The princesses rushed forwards, asking questions like: "How did you do that?" and "Can you teach me?", while the queens watched dumbfounded. 

At the age of ten, Serenity made another magical breakthrough. She was having tea with her mother and Luna, her mother's advisor. They chatted amiably, while waiting for the tea to arrive. They weren't completely impatient with the maid, for it was her first day on the job. Soon after, the maid hurried in, but failed to notice the crease in the rug. The maid tripped, sending the teapot flying towards Serenity. Upon instinct, she held out her hands. Much to her surprise, and the surprise of the room's other occupants, the teapot and tea stopped midair, moving as though there was no gravity. Unfortunately, she did not see the cup of milk, and therefore couldn't stop it, and it spilt in her lap. 

In her sixteenth year, Serenity made one of her largest, and dangerous advances. It was a summer day, and it was raining. Serenity was not happy. She wanted it to be sunny so she could go outside and play in the gardens, but it seemed Fate had a different plan. Annoyed, the moon princess closed her eyes. She wished so hard for it to be sunny without a cloud in the sky. Serenity opened her eyes to find that the clouds had vanished, leaving a fine day in their wake. Pleased, but undoubtedly confused, Serenity skipped into the gardens. It was only when it did not grow dark for a day and two nights that Serenity confessed to her mother. 

Her mother was shocked, to say the least. How could her daughter have so much power? She had neither the power of the Ginzuishou, nor any senshi powers, so how, in the name of Selene, had her daughter been able to do this? Could she have been born with natural magic, like the sorcerers on earth? No, it wasn't possible… was it? Sighing, Selenity drifted out of her thoughts and fixed the incident with the use of the Ginzuishou. She then made Serenity promise only to use her magic in a time of need. 

With a heavy heart, the princess promised. It wasn't that she wanted to cause trouble, it was that she was giving up something she hadn't been able to discover yet. Think of all the things she could've done, all the people she could've helped… 

The years passed, and Serenity managed to halt her magic… at least in public. She would spend hours in her room using all her energy to try and levitate one object or another. It seemed that her magic only worked when she was least expecting it. This was very frustrating. 

Over time though, her talent developed. Sure, it was still wild, not really doing what she wanted, but it still worked relatively well. I mean, she was teaching herself! She can't expect it to be perfect, can she? And it wasn't like she was ever going to use it for something big, right? 

These thoughts provided her future self with a great many laughs. 

@--'--,--

She wasn't nervous. Nope, not nervous at all. Anxious and a little scared maybe, but definitely not nervous. I mean, this wasn't anything big, just her coronation ceremony in which she would take over the throne of the galaxy. Absolutely nothing to be nervous about. 

Serenity sighed. Her thoughts were doing little to halt the butterflies in her stomach. There were just too many things that could go wrong. 'Don't think like that!' she ordered mentally. 'You practiced a thousand times, and you look beautiful!' 

Beautiful was the best word to describe the soon-to-be Queen of the moon. Her pale silver-white hair was done up in the royal lunarian style, though with a string of diamonds around the buns. On her brow, the golden upturned crescent glimmered in the light. The white satin of her dress held tightly to her bosom, while curving out a bit under the hip. The low neckline was stitched with lace, as were the scoop sleeves. Upon her shoulders was a long cape with a silvery sheen to it. 

Her smooth, creamy white skin, was unblemished in all her four and twenty years [2]. Large cerulean eyes with silver specks bore innocence, and, even though she'd deny it, mischief. Long, dark lashes framed these same eyes. Soft pink, pouty lips were formed into a nervous smile (No! Not nervous! Anxious and a little scared! Not nervous!). 

"Serenity? It's time," said a voice from the door to her dressing room. Serenity turned to see Princess Rei of Mars clad in her senshi uniform. Rei looked at the princess. "You look beautiful! You're mother will be proud!" 

"I hope so," replied Serenity wringing her hands. Today she became queen. Today her mother stepped down, while she stepped up. Today she claimed the Ginzuishou. "What if I mess up? What if I do something wrong? What if I'm a bad queen?" 

Rei walked over and put her arms around Serenity's shoulders. "You are going to be the best queen ever! You are a kind, compassionate, intelligent young woman, and that's not even half of your qualities. Don't be nervous! The people will love and trust you, just like I, and the rest of the senshi, do." The Martian princess hugged the Moon princess. "You go out there, you get the Ginzuishou, and you become Queen, or I'll singe your favourite dress!" 

Smiling slightly at her best friend, Serenity nodded. She didn't quite trust her voice anymore. Grasping Serenity's hand tightly, Rei led the princess to the room in front of the Grand Hall, where the coronation was going to take place. Rei gave her friend one last hug, before vanishing into the hall. 

'Okay Serenity, you can do this! I know you can!' she thought as the entrance music started to play. She took a deep breath, before gracefully starting to walk down the aisle to her mother, who was waiting at the front. As she walked, she saw the queens and princesses from each planet (save Pluto, where only Queen Setsuna, a.k.a. Sailor Pluto lived.), her mother's advisors from the planet Mau(?), Luna and Artemis, and a wide variety of others. 

The hall, which usually looked regal and elegant, now looked stunning. Flowers in white and silver (found only on the moon) decorated the walls and silver fur wood pews. The usually bare marble floor now had a silver carpet going the long of the aisle. Large marble columns with realistic flowers chiselled into them, held up the great dome roof. On the ceiling, a very real depiction of the night sky, including the planets, was painted. 

Upon reaching the front of the hall, where Queen Selenity, as well as the Ginzuishou (on a pedestal) stood, Serenity managed a small smile. The Queen smiled at her reassuringly and winked. Letting go of the breath she hadn't known she was holding, Serenity nodded curtly at her mother, who nodded in return. 

"Noble people of the galaxy, we are here today to witness the coronation of Princess Serenity Usagi Tsuki Lunaria," Selenity began. "It is a most joyous occasion, for today Serenity will claim the Ginzuishou. To begin the ceremony, I ask Queen Setsuna, also known as Sailor Pluto to come forward." Setsuna rose from her seat and walked forward, kneeling before Queen Selenity. "Setsuna, as the Gate Guardian, tell me, do you think Serenity deserves the crown?" 

Maroon eyes flickered to Serenity as Setsuna rose. 'Oh no! She knows I practised magic when I wasn't supposed to!' realized the silver-haired woman. Setsuna's eyes seemed to fill with amusement as though she heard Serenity's thoughts. Looking Serenity over one more time, Setsuna turned to Selenity. 

"Yes I do, my Queen," Setsuna said seriously. Serenity sighed in relief. 

"Then, I denounce my status and the guardianship of the Ginzuishou," said Selenity firmly. The crystal seemed to lose some of it's shine. "Daughter, take the crystal." 

Serenity stepped up to the pedestal and reached out her hands to grab the crystal. Her fingers brushed the smooth surface and immediately the crystal began to glow, rising ten inches off the surface of the pedestal. 'Surely it is not supposed to do that!' thought Serenity. 'Oh well, best just to carry on.' 

When her hands were almost completely around the crystal, it pulsated and rushed into Serenity's chest. Pain unlike anything she had ever felt cut through her. She opened her eyes (for she had closed them when the pain came) and saw a horrendous sight. 

The hall was caving in due to the sheer amount of power given off when Serenity and the Ginzuishou merged. Worse yet, the people couldn't escape for the doors were blocked and the senshi couldn't seem to transform. Screams filled the air as people were killed by falling debris. 

'Oh Selene!' thought Serenity, tears running down her face. She felt someone pull her out of the way of a piece of falling marble. It was Setsuna. 

"Serenity-sama, I must get you out of here!" said Setsuna loudly. 

"No!" cried Serenity violently. "They'll all die, and without the royals to maintain the magic atmosphere on the planets, everyone else will die as well!" 

"Serenity, listen to me! _There is nothing you can do!_ It is too early after the merge! If you do anything now, you'll die, and therefore everyone else will die anyways! Why kill yourself, when you can live a full life as your people would have wanted?! Please my Queen, let me take you!" begged Setsuna. 

Serenity nodded her head in consent, as tears streamed down her face. 

Taking the Time Staff, Setsuna created a portal. She held tightly to her queen as the walked in. Mere seconds past before they were on a hardwood floor. 

Serenity, however, did not notice this as she was sobbing uncontrollably. Setsuna took the woman in her arms and started rocking back and forth, saying comforting words. Serenity looked up to thank Setsuna and gasped. 

It was not Setsuna. 

* * *

A/N: So, that's the first chapter. What did you think? Please review and tell me! 

1) A fortnight is two weeks. 

2) This is just the old English way of saying that she is twenty-five years old. 


	2. Book One: The Telling of Tales

Disclaimer: This applies to the whole of the fic. I forgot to put it in the first chapter, so I'll put it now: I do not own Sailor Moon. She/them/it belongs to Naoko Takeuchi. The disclaimer for the other will come soon. (I have my reasons.) I will not be making any profit off this story. 

A/N: Konnichiwa! I bet you all love me, leaving you on a cliffhanger on the first chapter! ^_^ Ok, I **have** to warn you all: I hate clichés. They're just so annoying! Be prepared to be shocked at the plot of this fic. 

**Of Sun, Moon, and Cards**   
_Book One_   
_The Telling of Tales_

Serenity jumped up from the woman's embrace. "Who are you?! What happened to Setsuna?!" demanded the Queen. 

The Gate Guardian and the woman whose embrace she had found herself in were quite different. Setsuna was tall and had a youthful face, though her age was indeterminable. She had long, dark green hair that appeared black when seen from a distance. Garnet eyes adorned tan skin, which was quite strange considering she never saw the sun. 

The woman, who had mysteriously replaced Setsuna, looked nothing like the Queen of Pluto. Her long red hair was perfectly straight, and only barely moved, whereas Setsuna's, though also long and straight, swished at the smallest of movements. The woman's skin was pale, and her eyes were brown. The look in them, perhaps the only thing in common with Setsuna, was that of intelligence and wisdom. 

"Please tell me who you are!" sobbed Serenity. Her knees gave way, and she fell in a heap on the floor. 

"You have no reason to fear me, Serenity-sama, I will not hurt you," said the red head. She raised an elegant hand and waved it in front of her handsome face. Her hair extended and changed into a dark green. Her brown eyes faded to garnet. Pale skin became tanned. 

"Setsuna?" asked Serenity weakly. How could this be? How could Setsuna and that strange woman be one and the same? It didn't make sense. Did Setsuna have other magic? If so, why hadn't her mother told her? 

Rising, Setsuna held out her hand to her queen. "Come, I will explain," said the Plutonian. Not really caring to object, Serenity allowed herself to be pulled up by Setsuna's hand, which was stronger than most. 

Serenity was led to what appeared to be a lounge. Red carpet divans were placed around ornately carved end tables. A white marble fireplace at the end of the room had a fire cackling happily in the hearth. 

Setsuna, or at least a woman that looked like Setsuna, gestured to a divan and sat down in the one opposite. Once both were comfortably seated, Setsuna began her tale, looking extremely nervous (much to Serenity's awe). "About ten years ago I came to earth, not because I was doing something for your mother, but because I had a question that could only be answered here. Lucky for me, when I teleported, I landed in this house or should I say mansion? No matter. Anyways, I found a young sorcerer lived here. He's very powerful and is the strongest person on this planet. 

"He told me that I had magic. I told him he was right and that I was in fact the Queen of Pluto and therefore had the magic of the Time Staff. He did not seem particularly surprised. He told me that besides my planetary magic, I also have sorcereress-type magic, though not a lot. He showed me how to control and use it. 

"One day, I decided to go out and see the rest of earth. Unfortunately, the first people who saw me were scared out of their wits. Apparently, people here don't have green hair and garnet eyes. It was then that I decided to make a more earth-like appearance. That is what you saw before. You could say that I 'programmed' my magic to change once I entered earth's atmosphere." 

"So we're on earth?" was all Serenity could ask. With a small reassuring smile, Setsuna nodded. "I see. This is all fascinating, but Setsuna, I really don't want to do anything but sleep. I just lost all the people of my kingdom." 

"Yes, of course Serenity-sama but first I have a proposition." Setsuna took a deep breath. "Let my sorcerer friend teach you to harness your magic. I know you've been practicing on your own, but please. I know good will come of it in the end." 'And maybe more...' 

"Fine, I'll do as you please," sighed Serenity rubbing her temples. She didn't have the strength to do anything else. In one single day, she had not only become Queen of the Silver Millennium, merged with the Ginzuishou, lost her family, friends and people, but had also found out that Setsuna was a sorceress, she had two appearances, was friends with the most powerful sorcerer on earth and that she, Serenity, was going to be taught by said sorcerer. 

"Thank you. Now there are just a few things. You'll have to change your appearance before he arrives tomorrow. I don't want the news that the queen of the solar system leaking out. That means you can't say anything about the moon. This means he will simply know you as Serenity. Do you understand?" Serenity didn't respond. "Oh, I'm sorry Serenity! I'm being terribly insensitive. You have lost a lot today. I just move on when people die. It comes with living for eternity. Come, I will bring you to your chambers." 

Serenity followed Setsuna into the entrance hall where they had dropped from the portal. The room was large enough, with the double doors to outside behind them and various other doors long the left and right sides. To the front were two massive, beautifully decorated doors, framed by perpendicular curved oak staircases. 

They took the right staircase, though it didn't really matter as they both led to the same place. The landing of the stairs made way to two doors, which were open, letting the view of a library, be seen. Two hallways branched off that, one to the right and one to the left, which turned about four doors down. Setsuna led her down the right one and turned the corner. She walked into one of the doors and moved to the side, so as Serenity could enter and view the room. 

It seemed as if Setsuna had known she was coming (which she most probably did). The room had navy walls, with silver texturing. Little white stars could be seen painted (Serenity didn't know if they were painted, but they certainly looked it, except for the tiny glow they gave off) on the walls, and even on the ceiling. The room was filled with white pine furniture. On the right was a bureau, with the drawers on the bottom, and two doors for hanging gowns and things of that sort. On the left was a vanity. A hair brush, hand mirror and various other toiletries were placed on it, and Serenity could only assume that there were more in the drawers on either side of the quaint little bench. On the far wall, French windows (tall, narrow windows, that had squares of glass) lined up parallel to one another, filling the room with a soft light from the setting sun. In front of them, was a magnificent four-poster bed, laden with silk sheets, duvet, and numerous pillows. The curtains were a fine lace, with tiny stars stitched into it. 

"Is…is this for me?" wondered Serenity out loud. "It's decorated perfectly. It's almost as if you had known I was coming…" Something clicked in Serenity's brain. "You didn't… know, did you Setsuna?" The Plutonian queen turned her gaze away. That told the Moon Queen what she needed to know. "You knew! You knew this was going to happen, and you let it! I could have stopped it! I could have saved them," yelled Serenity. She looked down on the floor and whispered, "I could have saved them." 

"Please understand Serenity-sama," said Setsuna softly, tears running down her own tanned skin, "as Gate Guardian, it is my duty not to interfere. You have no idea how much I wanted to stop it all, to tell your mother what would happen if you took the Ginzuishou." 

"You saved me," whispered Serenity. Her saddened gaze moved to Setsuna. Confused cerulean orbs clashed with knowing garnet ones. "Why was that allowed?" 

"Because it was meant to happen. Your destiny is not to be Queen of the solar system, as your mother, and many others, thought. Your life here will be trying, but if you manage to overcome the difficulties you will find things you never imagined you could have," said Setsuna. Suddenly, she snapped out of her trance-like state. Decided she better go before she told any more secrets, she said, "There are nightdresses in the second drawer of your bureau. I bid you good night." She turned and walked out of the room, closing the door behind her. 

For minutes, Serenity just stood there, staring at the door. Nothing seemed real. How could there have been planets full of people just hours before that were now only desolate chunks of rock floating in space? How could her friends be dead? How could her _mother_ be dead? It was just too surreal, but yet was the opposite. It was completely real. They were never coming back. If the Ginzuishou hadn't wielded with her, maybe she could have had them all reborn, but seeing as it did, there was nothing she could do. 

She was beyond tears. The sorrow was beyond that of which anyone could compare. The tears could not be spilt, for if they were, they wouldn't stop until a tear had fallen for every creature that had died on her behalf. Serenity was a shell. Her head swam with thoughts of _what if?_ Her heart was wrenching in the pain of loss. 'My first day as Queen…" she thought bitterly. 'My first day, and I murder the entire solar system.' 

Shaking her head, Serenity walked over to the bureau. Opening the second drawer, she saw that were indeed nightdresses. Picking one of the less frilly ones, she carefully slipped out of her coronation gown, smoothing it out on the bed before gently putting it in the first drawer of her bureau, along with the cape. Still in her under garments, Serenity sat down on the bench to her vanity. She took out the diamond strands before carefully pulling out her hairstyle. Then, with the hairstyle out, the silver hair pooled on the floor, curling slightly. Picking up her hairbrush, Serenity began the tedious task of brushing her hair. 

After nearly forty-five minutes, Serenity's hair was successfully combed. Picking up the non-frilly nightdress, she slipped into it. It was quite comfortable, though she didn't recognize the material. She assumed it was probably some earth fabric. Approaching her new bed, she pulled back the duvet and carefully slipped in between the smooth, cool silk sheets. It was only when her head hit the pillow that she realized how tired she really was. In a matter of seconds, she was fast asleep. 

* * *

Setsuna was sitting in the lounge, looking out the window. She couldn't believe what she had done the night before. She had almost spilled the secret. It wouldn't do to have Serenity know her destiny, because then she would probably do anything to avoid it. 'Why does she have to be so stubborn?' wondered Setsuna. A flash of brilliant light engulfed the room, and when it cleared, Setsuna was no longer the only occupant of the room. A man had appeared in the room. 

The man was handsome, there was no denying that. He was of broad build, and he looked as though he commanded respect, but if you were to look closer, you would see his deep blue eyes twinkling with amusement. Long black hair was secured with a ribbon of navy blue. The man's robes were black, with navy trimming and decorated with sun, moon and stars. On his nose sat pince-nez glasses. His mouth was curved into some would see as a smile, but others would dismiss as a neutral look. 

"Hello Setsuna," said the man, kissing the back of her hand. 

"Welcome home Clow," said Setsuna. 

* * *

A/N: Yep! That's right! Another CCS/SM crossover! Yay! This one will probably be longer than _Joined By One Man_, but won't have as much fighting, per say. There's no worry of me not finishing it as I have been wanting to write this since the very beginning. Hope you liked the chapter! JA! 


	3. Book One: Meeting of the Greats

A/N: Hello! This chapter will be a bit longer than the others, with a lot more dialogue. Oh, and I have to say this: **I am making up Clow Reed's personality. I will stay as true to the show as possible, but as we only see him all of, what, six times (?) in the anime, I will have to make up some aspects.** Oh, and there will be no couple voting on this story. I already have a couple in mind. *Hint, hint, nudge, nudge to a certain reviewer* Someone also asked if the outer senshi were coming back. In the first chapter, I said ALL the princesses of the planets were there, meaning all the senshi. I would have loved to have them in this story, but it just didn't go with the plotline. Enjoy your read! 

**Of Sun, Moon, and Cards**  
_Book One_  
_Meeting of the Greats_

"How was Hong Kong?" asked Setsuna. 

"It was... interesting," said Clow mysteriously. 

Arching an eyebrow, Setsuna wondered, "Interesting? That's it? Not pleasurable?" 

"No, simply interesting," smiled Clow, sitting down. "But I gathered more information upon my project." 

"Oh _right_, your _project_," said Setsuna dryly. It had been interesting the first ten times Clow had talked about it, but now it was just annoying. "You're still going to go through with it? You're still planning on making those monstrosities?" She shook her head. 

"You can't blame me, can you?" asked Clow innocently. "I just have a knack for magic. I've already mastered all the other magics, so why not invent one of my own?" He took off the pince-nez glasses he used for traveling and put on his normal ones. It was true. Clow was a genius with magic. At the age of 28, he had mastered basically every magic known to man - or should I say sorcerer - kind. 

Setsuna sighed, "I guess you're right...speaking of magic, I have a favor to ask you." Clow looked at her questioningly. "I have a friend, a female friend named Serenity. She has a tremendous amount of magic, but very little training, so..." 

"You want me to teach her," finished Clow, smiling. "It would be my pleasure. If she has as much magic as you seem to think, (Setsuna mutters under her breath, "More..") then it is my duty as a sorcerer to teach her. We don't know what devastation she could cause with magic that big." 

"How very true. She is upstairs resting right now, but -" A scream pierced the air. "It seems she has awoken. Well, I best go see to her." Setsuna calmly got up and started to walk out of the room, as if it was perfectly normal to have a scream pierce the household. There was a small flash of light as she changed into her terran form. 

"What did you do to her?" asked Clow bemusedly. 

"Nothing much," said the fading voice. 

* * *

Serenity awoke to a strange light in her eyes. This was strange considering that her room in the palace was on the west side. Opening her eyes - with them adjusting to the unusual light - she peered around the room. This wasn't her room! Feeling lost and frightened, Serenity frantically scrambled out of bed. It was when she hit the floor that she remembered what had come to pass. 

Tears welled up in the moon maiden's eyes. Life was so cruel. She had hoped it was only a dream, but alas, the tragedy was real. Forcing herself to stop crying, Serenity decided to make the best of her time, and right now that meant meeting that sorcerer friend of Setsuna's. 

By the way the Gate Guardian talked about him, Serenity knew two things about him: he was powerful, and he was wise. This combination usually meant that the person was very old. Great, just great. Not only did she have to take the training, she had to take it from some old geezer who was probably as interesting as a doorknob. This was not looking fun. 

Ah well, best get to it. The sooner you start, the sooner you finish. Although desperately wanting to go back to bed; to sleep her memories away, Serenity decided to get ready and to take things as they came. Walking over to her vanity, she sat down on her little bench and picked up her brush. She did not look in the mirror, as she did not want to see her hair, which was in a great knot at the back of her head. Sighing, she decided just to brush it as quickly as possible. 

She looked in the mirror, and screamed. 

The face was not her own. Well, not exactly. It still sort of looked like her, but if you had only seen her once before, you would have thought her an entirely different person. Her silver hair was now a golden color, glistening in the early rays of the majestic star. Her eyes, though blue like before, were nowhere near as startling. Pale skin from living on a planet with only a couple hours a day, was now darker than before. 

"Good morning Serenity," said Setsuna, walking into the room in her terran form. It took a moment for Serenity to remember who she was. She seemed not to notice the remarkable change in her Queen's appearance as she headed to the bureau, taking out a pale pink everyday gown and setting it on the bed. "I shall help you with your hair and then we shall go downstairs. I do not wish to keep him waiting." 

"Um, Setsuna, do you notice anything odd about me today?" asked Serenity, wondering if she had gone insane over night. 

"Other than the fact that you look terran, nothing," supplied Setsuna, turning Serenity around on the bench and taking her brush from her. Rather difficultly, Setsuna began to bring the brush through Serenity's hair. "I took the liberty of changing your appearance while you slept. If I had done it this morning, he would have felt, and we do not wish to have that right now." 

"Y-you changed my appearance?" inquired Serenity disbelievingly. 

"Of course," said Setsuna. "We couldn't have you walking around in Lunarian form. How would that look? It would make him suspicious, not to mention it might frighten people, not that you are even remotely frightening. I have come to the conclusion that the people of earth are easily frightened of things they don't understand. I would not recommend sending an earthling to guard the solar system, as I must do. They would be scared out of their wits," said Setsuna, as the brush moved smoothly through Serenity's hair. 

"I see," mumbled Serenity. Then realizing that the brush was moving through her hair, and that her hair was tangle free, she said, "How did you do that? It usually takes forever!" 

"Ah, the joys of magic," smiled Setsuna. "In time, you will learn to harness your magic to it's full potential. Now, you must get dressed!" Pulling Serenity up by an arm, she quickly whizzed off the nightclothes, leaving Serenity in her undergarments, shivering. "Arms up!" she said as she slid the gown over Serenity's head. It was a simple dress of pale pink, with a squared, gold-trimmed neckline and matching trimming belt around the waist. 

"It's very pretty," said Serenity, sitting back down on the bench, taking her brush and ribbons and starting to put her hair into it's usual style. 

"No, no, no Serenity! You would look most odd with that style," scolded Setsuna. "Here let me do it." She took out the hairstyle and started her own. Using her magic, it took half the time it would had she not. The hairstyle was a simple ponytail, with a braid going around it; it was simple, yet elegant. "Come, let us part now, and remember, do not say anything of the moon." 

"I understand," said Serenity solemnly. She followed Setsuna down the stairs, the way they had come the night previous. The Plutonian Queen (though she was not supposed to think of her as one, in her current state) to the lounge where she had learned Setsuna's true story. She heard a someone stand up and supposed it was the sorcerer. 

Setsuna smiled at Clow before saying, "Clow Reed, I would like to introduce Serenity Lunaria." She moved out of the way to let her friend and her Queen view each. 

Clow was not what Serenity expected, to say the least. Instead of the old man she was picturing in her mind, Clow was rather young, looking only about thirty. He had deep blue eyes and raven black hair. His eyes shone with intelligence and Serenity could see why Setsuna admired him. He was grand, not to mention handsome. Serenity blushed at the thought. 

Though he had imagined that she was young, Clow was not prepared for this. Serenity Lunaria (if that was indeed her name) was a beautiful young woman, though her hair and skin did not seem to match her at all. She had an air of innocence, and yet there was something in her eyes that beg to differ: pain and guilt. Lots of it. Clow shook his head, and when he looked back, all that he had seen was gone. Yes, she was a beauty, and she would make a fine wife to a man one day. 

Watching the exchange, eyes darting from one person to another, Setsuna smirked softly. Clow wasn't the only one who could read minds. This certainly was entertaining. The two just stood there looking at her and Setsuna tried not to giggle, something she not often had the reason or want to do. 

Snapping out of his thoughts, Clow stepped forward and took Serenity's hand in his own. Kissing the back of it, he said, "It is a pleasure to meet you Miss Lunaria." 

"The pleasure is all mine," said Serenity, using all her manners lessons trying not to blush. "I hope you can teach me to better use my magic. I've had some terrible incidents with it." 

"I will do all I can," promised Clow. Straightening back up, he said, "I don't know about both of you, but I'm famished. Shall we retire to the dinning salon?" 

"That would be very wise," agreed Setsuna. "I am sure Serenity is very hungry, for she has not eaten for many hours." Serenity nodded her head. "Come, I'm sure the servants have prepared something." The trio walked to the dinning hall across the entrance hall. 

The large room was very elegant, what with the long oak table, lined with satin stitched seats. Three seats were served at the end of the table. Clow sat on the end, with Serenity on one side and Setsuna on the other. Without hesitation, Clow and Setsuna lifted silver lids off their meal, and Serenity eagerly followed. Her face fell when she saw what was being served. 

There was what seemed to be some sort of round, flat bread, strips of a delicious smelling meat, and a white substance. This was not what she expected. Every morning, the Lunarian ate tsuking berry custard, a delicious mush of berries warmed so that it was piping hot. This strange food (obviously terran in origin) though it smelled good, was not what she really wanted. 

"Do you not like the menu?" inquired Clow, looking concerned. "I did not know your preferences, or I would have had the cook prepare it." 

"Uh..." said Serenity. Setsuna shot her sharp look that clearly said, "Don't blow your cover." The words, _Just try it, you'll like it..._ floated through her mind, with a voice that matched Setsuna's. "It's fine," said Serenity quickly. 

"Alright," said Clow, looking suspiciously at Setsuna who only smiled at him. 

Using the fork, Serenity picked up some of the white substance. Eating it slowly, she discovered that it wasn't half bad. Gaining new confidence, she cut some of the strange looking bread and popped it in her mouth. She found that this too was good; it didn't taste like regular bread, it was sweeter. Throwing all previous doubts from her mind, Serenity tried some of the meat strips and found her taste buds singing. 

Restraining herself from devouring the whole meal at once, she calmly ate her food, trying to ignore the satisfied look on Setsuna's face. The meal was almost finished when Clow asked an unexpected question. 

"So, Serenity, where are you from?" asked Clow. 

Gulping, Serenity tried to hold back the tears that threatened to cascade down her cheeks. _Home_... She would never be able to go home. It was impossible now that it all had been destroyed. She would never walk the marble corridors, or admire the garden from her bedroom balcony. She would never laugh with her friends, or spend precious evenings with her mother. It was gone, all gone... 

Completely forgetting the sorcerer's question, Serenity gazed off into nothing, remembering the life that had been so brutally ripped from her. Noticing the sudden change in her Queen's demeanor, she turned to Clow with sad eyes. "Serenity just recently lost her home," whispered the Plutonian Queen sadly. 

Realization dawned on Clow as he looked at the girl in a new light. It certainly explained what he had seen in her eyes upon first glance. Looking at the woman now, he could see her eyes glaze over, most likely from memories. He could relate. He knew what it was like to be alone in the world. It was an experience he had gained at age of fifteen when both his mother and father had died in a shipwreck. "I'm sorry for making you remember," said Clow softly. 

"It's alright," whispered Serenity. "I never want to forget. That would be much more painful." For the rest of breakfast, Serenity only picked at her food, never really eating. 

"Perhaps you would like to do something to occupy your mind?" suggested Setsuna, not enjoying Serenity's sadness. She glanced meaningfully at Clow. He nodded in understanding. 

"Yes, we could begin your training at once, if that is what you wish," agreed Clow. "I mind not. If you would rather do something else, then I will find something else to spend the day..." 

"No, I want to learn," said Serenity determinedly. "I don't want to harm anyone else to get hurt." 

"Alright then," nodded Clow. "We will start immediately. Please head to the ballroom. It's through the double doors in the entrance hall. I have to get my key." 

"Key?" mouthed Serenity to Setsuna as Clow left the table. Setsuna smiled, shook her head, and gestured to the door. Arching an eyebrow at the senshi, Serenity slowly got up and made her way to the room Clow had indicated. There was a faint pop behind her as Setsuna left for the Time Gates - which of course, she didn't know about. Setsuna was not a Plutonian Queen and Gate Guardian, she was a simple terran sorceress. 

Reaching the elegantly carved doors to what she supposed was the ballroom, she gingerly opened the door and peered inside. It was a beautiful room, with hardwood floors and wood paneling on the walls, which were completely bare, save for French windows on the wall opposite and a portrait that hung in the middle of the wall to her left. 

Entering the room, she quietly walked over to the portrait. It showed a Chinese woman with long black hair in a bun, striking jade eyes, wearing a red Chinese-style dress, and sitting on a chair. Behind her was an English man, with deep chestnut brown hair, and beautiful blue eyes... just like Clow. Serenity blushed. 

"I see you like my portrait," said Clow from behind her, causing her to jump. 

"The woman is very beautiful," said Serenity. "As the man is handsome. Who are they?" 

"They are my parents," said Clow. "This is my mother, Lin Yao." He pointed to the woman. "And my father, Xavier." He pointed to the man. "They died many years ago." 

"I'm sorry," replied Serenity sincerely. 

"The past is the past," smiled Clow. "We must live our lives one day at a time. It does not do to live in memories, for when you must face reality, it is much more painful." 

_One day at a time..._ The words repeated in Serenity's head. Though it had been but a day, she new without a doubt that her people were all dead. Without the Ginzuishou, the atmosphere on the moon would collapse; leaving any survivors there might be with no oxygen. By now, the same would've happened to the rest of the planets. Serenity shuddered at the though of how terrifying it would have been for them. 

She would mourn, make no mistake of that, and she would mourn for a long time. But maybe, just maybe she could do something to help people here. Then and there, she made a vow to brighten everyone's day; never to let anyone be sad. 

"Shall we start?" inquired Clow. 

"Yes," said Serenity. 

"Okay, the first thing I will be doing is seeing how much control you have on your magic," stated Clow. Serenity nodded in understanding. From the pocket of his robes, Clow pulled out a little ball. It was made from some squishy like substance. "It it rubber," said Clow, seeing Serenity's curious gaze. "It does not yet exist, but Setsuna got it for me from the future." He set the ball down about two feet in front of Serenity. "Try to levitate the ball." 

Serenity concentrated on lifting up the ball. Nothing happened. She tried harder. Still nothing. She sighed in exasperation, and stamped her foot. The ball levitated, and floated midair for about fifteen seconds before zooming towards the moon maiden. She ducked as the ball went whizzing over her head and hit the wall. It proceeded to bounce around the whole of the ballroom. 

Clow chuckled as Serenity grinned sheepishly. This was going to be a long and amusing experience… 

* * *

A/N: I hope you liked it! See you all soon! 


	4. Book One: The Ways of Magic

A/N: Ok, I know I haven't updated in a while, but cut me some slack! My teachers seem to think that since it's April, they should get really serious with the homework -_-; Yeah, so after surviving school and homework, I'm exhausted. Sorry for the delay... Hope you like this chapter. 

PS: I have a _lot_ of people commenting on the couplings. I'm having conflicting reviews here! All I can say is this: if you don't like the pairing, I am sorry. I hope that you will continue to read this story, because it does have a really sweet (sweet as in "ah!" not sweet as in "cool!") plotline. I would really love to make everybody happy, but alas, I cannot. Please accept my humble apologies. 

**Of Sun, Moon, And Cards**  
_Book One  
The Ways of Magic_

"Focus," instructed Clow. "Creating a conduct is tricky business. It takes a lot of concentration." 

Sweat rolling down her forehead, the cross-legged maiden tried to focus all her thoughts on the glowing orb in front of her. This was harder than it looked. In fact, it had taken her the better part of an hour to focus, even before the orb had appeared. Taking a deep breath, Serenity looked inside her self - something Clow had taught her - and focused on the center of her magic. 

Clow smiled in amusement. Apparently she had been paying attention. He'd had his doubts. Who wouldn't, considering her thoughts were mostly up with the moon - literally. He chuckled remembering the week before when he had patiently tried to explain power sources. 

_ "A power source is simple enough to understand," said Clow, looking at Serenity who was seated cross-legged on the floor of the ballroom. She looked at him, her gaze never wavering. "All sorcerers have inner magic, that much is evident, however, most - myself included - also like to draw power from another source. It helps with difficult spells and such, not to mention the fact that it keeps us balanced." _

Ok, Serenity got the "it helps with spells part" but as to the "it keeps us in balance" part, she was a little confused. She got a funny mental image of Clow falling over. (A/N: I get funny mental images all the time!) This just confused her even more. Did the magic actually fill her up, as if it were water and she was the glass? 

"That is partly correct," said Clow, amused at his charge's thoughts. "It mostly fills up your spirit. You will understand better once you become more in tune with your magic." Serenity nodded. "Now as for me, I draw my power from the sun, hence my conduct." Lifting his key before him, Clow concentrated and it became a golden staff with sun atop. "Now, my conduct takes the shape of the sun, as that is my power source. Now, you're going to have to figure out yours ~" 

"The moon," said Serenity automatically, and in monotone. Clow looked at her questioningly. "Um, it's just that I've always felt a strong pull to the moon. It's just so elegant, and I would love for it to be my power source!" 

At the time, Clow had been a little hesitant. After all, the moon was a mysterious, yet powerful source; an enigma if you will. Serenity was almost the complete opposite. She was cheerful and bubbly, despite the recent loss of her own... at least that's what he had thought at first. 

Serenity was proving to be more of a mystery all the time. Every time he'd inquire about her home or family she'd abruptly change the subject. At first, Clow had thought that it was simply the fact that she was mourning, but it soon became apparent that that wasn't the case. He noticed that when he asked these questions, panic seemed to flit through her eyes. 

Besides this, there were many other questions that needed answering. How was it that Serenity and Setsuna got along like they had known each other forever? Was Serenity from another planet? If so, why did the two women lie to him? Here's a better question: why couldn't he read Serenity's mind? Oh sure, there were a few moments, but for the most part, she had the best mental defenses he had ever seen. 

It was time... Serenity could feel it. Somehow, she knew that the conduct wouldn't just appear, that she'd have to do something to call it forth, but what? She vaguely remembered Clow telling her about incantations, or chants. That's what she had to do. 

"Oh star that holds the power of the solar system, guided by the moon, come forth and shine thy power! I Queen Serenity of the White Moon Kingdom command thee! Release!" Serenity chanted, the meaning of what she just said not quite registering in her mind. 

The orb shone brightly as it lengthened into a staff. The rod of the staff was a gleaming white, with both a golden and white ball on each end. At the top, was a silver sphere, with perfect white wings on the side. On top of it, there was a white eight-pointed star with a golden upturned crescent in the middle. Height wise, the staff was about as tall as Serenity. 

Clumsily standing up (tripping on the hem of her dress in the process), Serenity grabbed hold of her staff, which was floating horizontally in front of her. "I did it," she whispered, looking over the staff in front of her. 

"Congratulations Serenity-sama," said Setsuna from the doorway, ignoring the understanding gaze of Clow. "I always knew you had it in you." She had in fact know… It was in fact, her job. She knew that today, Clow would learn the truth, and had already, so did not even bother hiding formalities. 

Freezing at Setsuna's words, Serenity turned and whispered (well, as well as you could whisper to someone who was across the room) "I thought we weren't going to tell him about me being the you-know-what! Something about danger and all that?" That was what they had agreed wasn't it? I mean, why did Setsuna go and blurt out the secret? 

"We weren't," agreed Setsuna, "but you seem to have told him." Seeing her queen's confused look, she elaborated. "You obviously don't remember what you said during your chant, which is understandable, considering you were in a state of deep meditation. You said, and I quote, 'Oh star that holds the power of the solar system, guided by the Moon, come forth and shine thy power! I Queen Serenity of the White Moon Kingdom command thee! Release!' Need I say more?" 

"Whoops?" said Serenity meekly. Boy, was this ever an embarrassing situation. She had just blown her cover, without even knowing it! Only to her, she realized sighing. Something like this never would've happened to Rei or Ami! "Um, sorry I told Setsuna," she added. 

"Well, it does answer a lot of questions," said Clow, smiling good-naturedly. Imagine that! He'd been instructing a queen for over a month! No wonder she had so much power. 

"So... can I change back my appearance?" wondered Serenity. As much as the new appearance fit in to this world, she missed her lunarian form. It was like walking around in a body that wasn't her own. "Please?" she begged, putting on her world famous puppy dog eyes. Even Haruka, Princess (much to her dismay) of Uranus hadn't been able to withstand them. 

"Oh all right!" Setsuna relented, sighing. "Just stop with the eyes!" By the Fates, those eyes were like weapons. 

"Ok then!" smiled Serenity. "I shall be down for dinner! See you all then." Concentrating on her staff, it became a silver pendant of an eight-pointed star with an upturned crescent in the middle. "After all, no royal lunarian is complete without the hairstyle!" She quickly started out of the room, before screeching to a halt next to Setsuna. "Um, could you help me Setsuna?" 

"Of course," replied Setsuna. Turning to her longtime friend, she said, "We will be down in time for dinner. I'm sure you can amuse yourself until then?" Smiling she ushered Serenity up to her bedroom. 

"What to wear? What do wear?" chanted Serenity, bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet while examining her bureau for a dress. She wanted something perfect for this evening; the first time Clow would see her in her lunarian form. Looking at her dresses, she saw nothing that seemed to fit. 

"How about this?" suggested Setsuna, pulling something from her sub-space pocket. The first was a black dress, with v-cut at the front (which showed a fair bit of skin) and that ended three inches above the knee - something that wouldn't have gone over well with the people of the ton[1]. The second was a pair of robes - no scratch that - a magnificent pair of robes. The material faded from silver with navy stars at the top to navy with silver at the bottom. On the back was the Chinese symbol for love. 

"Setsuna... thank you!" gasped Serenity. Quickly shedding her everyday gown, she donned the black dress and robes. Looking in the mirror, she concluded that she looked fairly pretty, but not what she had hoped for. The skin clashed greatly with the fabric, as did her hair. 

Watching with a hidden smile, Setsuna waved her hand, and the terran glamour was immediately gone. Serenity's hair had turned back to silver-white, her skin back to pale and her eyes back into the infinite blue. Even Setsuna who always thought her queen looked lovely, was surprised. She could only imagine how the sorcerer would act... Snapping out of her reverie, Setsuna sat the royal lunarian down on the bench of the vanity and started combing her hair. 

"Setsuna?" 

"Yes Serenity-sama?" 

"What's your relationship with Clow?" inquired Serenity quietly. 

"Why do you ask?" wondered Setsuna suspiciously. If she knew Serenity, and she did, the queen wouldn't ask something without purpose. 

"I was simply wondering," replied Serenity, gazing questioningly at Setsuna with the help of the mirror. 

Sighing, Setsuna responded, "We used to court, during the first year I met him. I loved him, and still do to a certain extent, but it was not to be. He loved me as a sister, and I did not have enough time to make him feel otherwise, what with my duty to both the Time Gates and your mother." The Plutonian Queen noticed that Serenity suddenly became interested in her hands. "Serenity... I won't stand in your way if it is what you truly want. He and I are never to be again." She pulled her Queen's hair into the royal style. 

Serenity nodded. "Thank you Setsuna. You have no idea what this means to me." She got up and hugged her friend and only remaining tie to her kingdom. "We best be getting downstairs before Clow starves," giggled Serenity. 

The two royals made their way downstairs, Setsuna leading the way. They soon discovered that Clow was waiting for them in the dinning room. Setsuna entered first and announced her, much to Serenity's embarrassment. As she slowly walked in, her hands together in front of her and her eyes on the floor. 

To say that he was shocked was an understatement. Setsuna had told them that Lunarians were known for their surreal beauty, being the descendants of Selene, but he had never actually seen one. A part of him wondered what had possessed the girl to change her appearance, but another reasoned, saying that this form wouldn't have gone unnoticed for long. 

"My Lady," he said formally, taking Serenity's hand and kissing the back of it, thus causing Serenity to blush. 

"Please, just Serenity," she said kindly. "I hardly think it's necessary for titles by now." 

Chuckling, Clow replied, "I believe you're right." Taking her hand, he escorted her to her chair, dutifully pulling it out. Smiling in thanks, Serenity sat down, as did Clow, seconds later. 

Setsuna (who was already seated) watched with happy eyes, despite a small prick of sadness in her. Yes, everything was going according to plan. Besides, it was meant to be... 

* * *

_6 months later_

"...So you see, by combining Eastern magic with Western magic, and confining it into theses cards, it will create a simple yet effective way of doing small spells, such as lighting up the house," explained Clow to Serenity, who was listening with interest. The sorcerer had just finished telling the Moon Queen about his _project_. He hadn't really had a choice, seeing as she walked in and wondered why he was yelling. 

The combining and confining of the magic didn't seem to be working. Clow had tried a million different ways of doing the same thing, and yet, it didn't seem to work. _Why?_

"Can I ask you a question?" asked Serenity. In the past few months, she had mastered her magic. It went well beyond her, and indeed Setsuna's, expectations. As it were, she knew almost as much about magic as Clow did. Upon hearing Clow's dilemma, she had instantly gotten inspiration. 

"Alright," answered a curious Clow. "Go right ahead." 

"What power sources did you use?" inquired Serenity seriously. 

Startled at the question, Clow replied, "Well, I used magic from both the East and the West, and simply used my magic." What was the point of her question? Did she know something he didn't? 

"I see," said Serenity, smiling secretly. Clow raised an eyebrow at her and wore an expression that clearly said 'tell me what you know'. "You need balance," said Serenity. "You said that you used Eastern and Western magic, well, there's your problem. Eastern magic mostly draws power from the sun while Western magic mainly draws it from the moon. Since you draw your magic from the sun, it's unbalanced, both within a single card and the entire collection. You need to split the power down the middle. Half of the cards need to draw power from the moon and the other from the sun. As for a single card, it should mostly be made of magic from it's source, but should also have some of the other." 

Absorbing all this, Clow found that she did make sense, perfect sense in fact. Why hadn't he seen it? "How did you know this?" inquired Clow. 

"A teacher of mine once explained to me the meaning of magical balance," smiled Serenity. "I have not forgotten." She didn't say that she remembered every aspect of that day, for it was one of the best she had had. 

"I see," murmured Clow, deep in thought. He needed to balance… balance. It suddenly hit him. "Serenity, would you do me the pleasure of assisting me in my project?" She was after all, almost his complete opposite. He was male, she was female, he was tall, she was petite, he drew power from the sun, she, from the moon, he was from earth, and she was from the moon. It was perfect. 

"M-me?" stammered Serenity. Was he asking what she thought he was asking? "Are you sure you want me to help you? Wouldn't you rather do it by yourself?" This was his project, and she did not want to intrude. 

"I would love to have you by my side," said Clow warmly. 

For a second, Serenity thought he meant something else… but she quickly dismissed the idea. It was absurd. "If you'll have me, then nothing would make me happier," said Serenity sincerely. 

* * *

Sweat glistened on both their foreheads as they poured all their magical force into the final two. This was it. After these two, the Light and the Dark, were complete, the Clow Cards would be complete. After so many hours of hard work, it would all pay off. 

Both clutching their staffs, both pointed towards the two final cards, they concentrated even harder. The cards were 2/4 finished, so it wouldn't take long. Serenity looked at Clow, who nodded and they both concentrated at once. As the magic surged forth, and the cards completed themselves, a golden symbol appeared on the floor beneath them: a sun with a crescent moon on the side. They were both in their own circles, and yet, were part of one larger one, symbolizing independence within unity. 

Promptly, both magicians fell to the floor out of exhaustion. Creating magic was hard work; very draining. As they smiled at each other, the Clow Cards floated up and started circling them. 

Getting to his feet, Clow walked over and help Serenity to her feet. They both looked at their creations in wonder. "You did it," whispered Serenity. "You made your dreams a reality." 

"No," protested Clow. "We did it." He took Serenity's small hands in his own. "Thank you Serenity," he whispered, peering down at her. She was in her normal Lunarian form. Throwing caution to the wind, he leaned down and gently captured her lips in his own. 

Not daring to believe it was true, Serenity kissed back. How long had it been since she realized her feelings? Too long, in her opinion. She lost herself as the kiss became more passionate. Her fingers got lost in his hair as he pulled her closer. Oh she didn't want this to end... but unfortunately, it had to. 

"I have wanted to do that for a very long time," confessed Clow. He wasn't sure exactly when his feelings for her had began, but one morning he woke up and realized something: he was in love with Serenity. Of course, this hadn't affected his demeanor in the slightest. He had still acted the way he normally did with her. 

"Me too," smiled Serenity. 

The two pulled apart as the cards began separating themselves. Half the deck went to Clow, while the other went to Serenity. "I think they want you to be by my side as their mistress," smiled Clow. He pulled her close again. "And I think it's what I want as well..." 

* * *

A/N: Ok, I know there is a least one person out there who is really mad at me for making this pairing, but I swear, I have the whole plotline set up, and you won't be disappointed! At least... I hope not. o.O So pleaaaassssseeee keep reading, even if you don't like the pairing, cause I promise it will get better. 

But yeah, so you're all thinking, "Wow! That whole thing with balance, cards and symbol really make sense! How did you come up with it?" To tell you the truth, I have no idea! It just came to me one day. So if you think you were surprised in this chapter, just wait until you see what I have in store for the next few! Muahahaha! 


	5. Book One: The Guardians and the New Arri...

A/N: I'm back! No, I didn't die, contrary to popular belief. I am still alive and kicking! ~. ^ Now, I have to say that if you want someone to thank, thank Authoress*Crest because she reminded me that I have to update… only in a much nicer way. And OMG! I just realised what a complete CCS fan I am! I only remember 32 card captures! I feel so bad! BUT, I didn't have to look up any of the scenes! Hehe, I hope you enjoy the chapter! 

**Of Sun, Moon, And Cards**  
_Book One  
The Guardians and The New Arrival._

Since that day when the Clow Cards had been completed, everything had been perfect at the Reed mansion. Tasks that were seemingly impossible before were now every day occurrences. The Clow Cards made life easier, and that was that. 

When the weather was cool, Serenity loved nothing more than to be out in the garden, admiring the variety of Terran flowers that blossomed in the early spring months. It never ceased to amaze her of how the flowers could be unsymmetrical and yet still be so amazing to look at. Her new favourite flower was the Sakura blossoms that grew so wonderfully in Clow's yard. If the weather permitted, Serenity would curl up beside a trunk and read the ancient Lunarian that Setsuna had saved. She had even begun to teach Clow her native tongue. 

Yes, you could say that the mansion in the secluded part of England was a perfect utopia for everyone who dwelled there, but that would be a lie. Things were not as perfect as they seemed, and both Clow and Setsuna knew it was because of Serenity's guilt and pain. 

If you were to walk down the hallway on the night of the full moon, you might just hear the sounds of someone crying coming from one particular bedroom. If you were to look into said bedroom, you would see a petit form lying in the moonbeams, crying herself to sleep. Taking a second look, you would realize that this was a woman... a woman who didn't look entirely human. 

The other two that lived in the house knew that Serenity did this every full moon. They knew that it still hurt to think of the homeland that she had accidentally destroyed. Setsuna had tried to reason with her more than once, but the young queen continued to believe that the destruction of the Silver Millennium was her fault. 

Tonight was the night of the full moon. 

As previously said, Serenity was in the moonbeams, gazing longingly at the bright white orb that seemed to taunt her from it's position in the sky. Serenity was a sight that would make your heart break. Her long silver hair was undone and flowed down her back before pooling at her ankles. Along her cheeks were tear streaks. Blue eyes so full of hurt and guilt, you'd wonder how this poor woman could survive. 

She herself was thinking these same thoughts. Why should she keep living? Why should she live when so many others had died? What made her so special as to avoid death? But then again, who said she actually had to avoid death? Why not take her life? End all the pain? What was stopping her? 

Clow. The man she loved. 

Just thinking of the sorcerer made Serenity's heart flutter. She loved him with all her being. Nothing would ever make her want to hurt him… except this horrible pain that didn't seem to end. It trapped her in an endless cycle of darkness. 

As if in a trance, Serenity pulled a jewel-incrusted dagger from her sub-space pocket. It was a marvellous weapon, given to her by Haruka, princess of Uranus, for her last birthday, much to her lover's displeasure. Haruka insisted that it would be useful one day. Oh, how right she had been. 

Lifting the dagger and pointing the edge to her abdomen, Serenity sent a silent good-bye to Clow and Setsuna. She brought the blade down. 

Or at least she would have if Clow hadn't grabbed it with the Move. 

The silver-haired royal winced, and turned away, frightened to see the anger, betrayal and hurt in Clow's eyes. She hadn't meant to hurt anyone, she just didn't want to live with the guilt anymore. 

It was to her surprise then, when two strong arms wrapped themselves around her, and she felt herself being pulled against his chest. A soft kiss was placed on the top of her head. "My Serenity. If you need to cry, just cry. I'm here. I know what it's like to lose everything." 

The Lunarian's tears poured like they had never before. "I-I just want to forget, at least for one night. Is that so much to ask? Just one night." The last part came out in a whisper. Suddenly, she lifted her sad gaze to Clow. 

Clow gazed down at the woman for a second before bending down and capturing her lips in a fiercely passionate kiss. It took Serenity a moment, before she started to respond. He pulled her closer as she undid the tie that held his hair back and got her fingers lost in it. 

His lips moved to her neck and she moaned. Serenity's breathing became laboured as all previous thoughts were swept from her mind. Stopping the kissing, Clow looked up to see a flushed lover. Looking into her eyes questioningly, she gave her nod of approval. The sorcerer picked her up bridal style and walked over to the bed. 

In the next few minutes, both people's clothes were discarded and the two got lost in the passion... 

* * *

Serenity opened her eyes. The first things she noticed were that, one: it really hurt between her legs, and two: Clow was sleeping next to her, his arm around her waist. He was in a deep, peaceful slumber. 

Smiling softly, she carefully removed his arm and got out of bed. It was then that she noticed a third thing: she was completely naked. The realization brought back her memories of the previous night and a blush to her usually pale cheeks. And she thought she would wait until she was married! 

Deciding there was nothing better to do, Serenity headed towards her bureau to choose something to wear. She chose an everyday gown of pale green satin that felt good on her sore body. It had a high neckline and three-quarter sleeves that flared out with lace at the elbow until it reached her wrist. 

"Good morning," said Clow softly, hugging her from behind (how he got out of bed without her detecting, she had no idea). It made Serenity blush even harder to feel that he too was naked. Her chuckled at her flushed cheeks. "How are you feeling?" 

"A bit sore," admitted Serenity softly, turning to put her hand on Clow's chest and to look into his eyes. She smiled. "But I wouldn't undo it for anything. Thank you." The Lunarian stood on her tiptoes and kissed him gently. She grinned as she pulled away. "Does this mean that I can sleep in your room now?" 

That earned a laugh from Clow. "If you'd like. I know I certainly wouldn't mind, although we might have some explaining to do to Setsuna. I just hope she won't use Dead Scream on me for sleeping with her queen." 

"I don't think she'd dare. The Clow Cards might get angry," joked Serenity. "That would probably not be a good thing for Setsuna." She got a funny mental image of Sailor Pluto running down the lane, Time Staff in hand, being chased by the physical forms of the Clow Cards. 

Clow smiled. "I suppose you're right." He paused for a second before saying, "I think you had the right idea. It's about time for breakfast." He lifted his hand and it glowed red. As Serenity looked down, she found that she had been magically placed in her clothes, as had Clow. "Shall we?" asked Clow, offering his arm. 

"We shall," answered Serenity, accepting the given arm. 

The two made their way down to the dinning room, Serenity a little more stiffly than usual. Clow squeezed her hand reassuringly before entering with her. Inside, they found Setsuna calmly eating her breakfast. When the Plutonian looked at them, they could see the amusement in her eyes. 

"You know, don't you?" asked Serenity, looking suspiciously at the Gate Guardian. Setsuna grinned widely and nodded, quite unusual for the normally reserved woman to do. 

"Well, that saves us the trouble of discussing it with you then," said Clow, pulling out a chair for Serenity, in which she occupied rather quickly. As he sat down, Clow turned to his old friend. "So you won't use Dead Scream on me? I hope not. I'd rather not die at the hands of a purple blast shaped like a planet." 

Rolling her eyes, Setsuna answered, "No, I will not be using my Dead Scream attack on you. Why would I ruin a perfectly good friend just because he happened to steal the innocence from my queen?" 

It was at this time that Serenity decided to choke on her juice for reasons unknown. As the other two looked at her, she looked down sheepishly and began to nibble on a crumpet. How embarrassing! 

Just at that moment, Fate decided to take matters into her own hands. Serenity started to feel dizzy. The whole room was rotating. She dumbly heard her named called before the visions the deity had sent over took her. 

_**FLASH!** _

A young girl with short auburn hair and breathtaking emerald eyes picked up a book. Immediately, the seal on the book snapped open. The girl jumped in shock. After recovering, she picked the up the first card that of the deck that was found in the book. Her lips moved and there was suddenly a great wind. All the cards flew from the book. 

**FLASH!**

The same girl as before stood on what appeared to be a clock tower. She was wearing a strange looking costume, complete with cat ears. She looked to the side and noticed a boy of about the same age standing there, wearing some kind of robes. She suddenly started to jump about, but the boy remained impassive. 

**FLASH!**

It was near a body of water. The girl stood there wearing another strange costume. In front of her appeared a being that didn't appear to be human. The being crouched into a fighting position when suddenly, another girl appeared. This girl was again about the same age, with ruby eyes and black hair pulled into odangoes. She faced the being and crouched into a similar martial arts position. Without hesitation, the two started to fight while the others watched in awe. 

**FLASH!**

The emerald-eyed girl stood on top of a building. There was what looked to be a small flying bear beside her. She clutched her abnormal looking staff while the cards from the book fluttered about her. In the distance stood a man with long white angel wings. He had seemingly gold eyes and long hair that danced in the wind. 

**FLASH!**

The girl and the serious boy sat in class. The man at the front told them something and called out to someone in the hall. A boy with hair so black it appeared blue walked into the class. He bowed and it seemed that he introduced himself. The serious boy stiffened. The black-haired boy smiled mysteriously and walked up to the girl's desk. He said something before taking his seat. 

**FLASH!**

Groaning, Serenity opened her eyes. Things were fuzzy before they came into focus. She was laying down in what she could only guess was Clow's room considering he was sitting on the bed, looking at her worriedly. 

"What happened?" she whispered hoarsely. Her head pounded. 

"You passed out at the table," said Clow, worry evident in his voice. "Are you alright? Setsuna said you were having a vision." Taking her by surprise, he pulled her into his arms. "I feared the worse. I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to you." 

"Clow?" 

"Yes Serenity?" 

"I think I'm going to be sick." 

With that, Serenity practically leapt from Clow's arms and threw up in the nearest chamber pot. She felt horrible and wondered if this happened every time someone got a vision. Silently, she called upon the Erase and deleted her stomach's previous comments. 

"I think I need to lie down," mumbled Serenity as she passed out again, barely noticing that the Windy caught her before she hit the floor. 

* * *

"So you're telling me that my visions were the future? And those cards were the Clow Cards?" asked Serenity, dumbfounded. Wow, who would have thought? 

Setsuna nodded. "It was the future, a few hundred years to be precise. The girl you saw was Kinomoto Sakura, the future mistress of the Clow Cards, or, as they will be known as after she becomes the true mistress, the Sakura Cards. In her time, you two have already been dead for at least a hundred years." 

"You mean that we actually _die_?! Only a measly hundred years of living?!" exclaimed Serenity, shocked beyond belief. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Clow looking at her strangely. Sighing, she explained. "Lunarians have a lifespan of a thousand years. Compared to that, a hundred doesn't seem like a lot." Clow nodded. 

"So, this girl is the future of our creations... We will need to make something to guard them for the years that we aren't alive. They need to be in balance, so I'm thinking one that draws power from the sun and one that draws power from the moon?" suggested Clow. 

"That sounds about right," smiled Serenity. She must be rubbing off on him! "I think we're taking this pretty well considering we die and someone else gets our cards, don't you think? There's just one thing that bugs me… who was that brown-haired boy I kept seeing? And why did that other girl have my hairstyle?" 

Setsuna smiled mysteriously. "Well, that's a simple question to answer! They are your descendants!" 

There was shocked silence before Clow spoke up. "And how exactly is this possible Setsuna?" If what was coming was what he thought was coming... he couldn't even grasp the fact. 

Smile turning into a grin, Setsuna replied casually, "That too is simple. Serenity, you're pregnant." 

(A/N: I was going to end it here, but due to the fact that it's been so long since my last update, I think I'll give you free bonus length! Happy reading!) 

* * *

_8 ½ months later_

"Don't lie to me Clow! You know it does!" 

"No, honest Serenity, it doesn't! You look beautiful!" 

"No! You're lying! This gown makes me look _fat__!" wailed Serenity. _

Clow sighed. Damn women and their hormones. Why couldn't she just read his mind, see he wasn't lying and get it over with? "Serenity, darling, don't you think we'd better make these guardians? Time may soon run out." 

Looking up from her spot on the floor, Serenity's mood brightened. "You're right! Let us go!" She practically jumped up and dragged Clow down to the ballroom. Setsuna watched from her safe spot, chuckling at the two. 

"So, let's do this just as we planned," said Clow. Serenity nodded and both of them called out their staffs. Clow focused on sun power, while Serenity focused on moon power. The man immediately began to glow red, but Serenity only barely glowed. "Serenity," said Clow. "you aren't concentrating." 

"Hey! You try being a watermelon with legs and we'll see how you feel!" snapped Serenity. Seeming to cool off, she added, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap." Clow just nodded and they both continued. This time both of them glowed their respected colours and power erupted from their staffs. 

In the middle of the ballroom, to forms began to take shape; one made out of fire and the other of ice. The one of fire blended into an impressive mane less lion, with armour and white wings coming out of his back. The one of ice changed into that of a man. He had silver hair and sliver eyes. He wore white robes and from his back protruded angel wings. 

They both opened their eyes and peered around the room, before their gazes stopped on Serenity and Clow. 

"Welcome," said Clow, smiling at them. "We are your new masters. I am Clow Reed and this is Serenity Lunaria. Your names are Cerberus - " He pointed to the lion. " - and..." 

"Yue!" squealed Serenity. Clow looked at her questioningly as that wasn't the name they had decided on, but she ignored him and instead walked up to the new guardians. "Hi both of you! Wow, we are certainly going to have a houseful of new arrivals!" She smiled at them. Cerberus smiled back but Yue remained impassive. "Okay, well I'll take you up to your new rooms!" She motioned for them to follow her and left the room, them close behind. 

Over the next few days, the guardians became acquainted with their masters, though Serenity asked to be called just that, Serenity. Some things were quickly noticed. For one, Cerberus loved to eat anything, but especially sweets. Another was that Yue didn't show much emotion, but Serenity didn't care. She would be extremely kind to him, reading him the books he wanted to know about and so on. 

Then one night, Serenity woke up to an almost unbearable pain. "Clow! It's time!" she whispered loudly at her bed companion. In an instant Clow was up and alert. "Go get Setsuna!" Without thinking twice, Clow did as he was told while leaving Serenity to bear the pain alone. 

Thirty minutes later, Setsuna was getting reading for the baby, muttering things about stupid fast Lunarian labours. "Push Serenity!" ordered Setsuna. Serenity compiled, trying to ignore the pain that was growing. "Ok Serenity, I can see the head! Just give me one last big push!" Again Serenity compiled. In the next few seconds, there was a yell of pain from Serenity, and the sound of a baby crying. "Congratulations! You have a new baby girl!" 

Tears of happiness coursing down her face, Serenity impatiently held out her arms to accept her baby, Clow at her side, while Setsuna cut the umbilical cord and cleaned the baby off. The Plutonian wrapped the baby in a blanket and handed it over to her queen. 

Clow placed a kiss on her forehead as Serenity peeked into the blankets. From inside was the cute little face, and Serenity looked upon it in shock. It wasn't the fact that it was her baby, but that the features seemed strangely familiar. Then, all at once, it made sense. Serenity recognized that hair and those eyes. The name rolled off her tongue. 

"Hotaru!" 

* * *

A/N: Big shocker hey? ^_^ I hope you liked the chapter! Until next time! 

P.S. Hint: If you really want to know why Hotaru is here, go back to the last chapter and figure out what it was about. ~.^ 


	6. Book One: The Loving of Others

A/N: I'm back! Yes, after… almost three months of waiting, I, Star-Chan, have decided to update. I realized my last chapter came out really bad, but my writing style has changed _ yet again_. … So has my anime style for that matter… hmmm. Anyways, just read! 

P.S. Hehe, new pen name!! 

**Of Sun, Moon, and Cards**  
_Book One  
The Loving of Others_

"Hotaru?!" 

This was almost too hard to believe. Princess Hotaru - Sailor Saturn - had just come out of her womb! Her! Queen Serenity of what used to be the White Moon Kingdom and the Silver Alliance had just given birth to the senshi of destruction. It was like light giving birth to darkness! 

Wait! That's it! 

"Hotaru?" Clow repeated, utterly confused. That wasn't the name they had decided upon, and the fact that Serenity and Setsuna seemed to recognize the baby was enough to rattle the mind. This did nothing to ease Clow's confusion. How could they know the newborn baby? And where could they know her from? Too many questions. "Serenity, what is going on?" 

But she did not hear. Looking at her daughter, Serenity had no doubt that it was indeed her daughter, nor that it was Hotaru. Though she had just been born, she already had a head full of black hair - just like Clow's - but it was the eyes that convinced her. Instead of being totally violet like before, they were more of a light violet with a touch of blue. Realizing that fact, Serenity smiled. Her smile grew when her daughter smiled back. 

It was then that Clow decided to pose his question again. Turning to him, Serenity beamed and explained, " I think that this is the reincarnation of Princess Hotaru of Saturn, otherwise known as Sailor Saturn, senshi of destruction and rebirth. She represents darkness, though she is anything but evil. If I'm right, about this -" She looked at Setsuna who nodded. "- then Hotaru was reincarnated for the balance. I represent light, even though I'm not a senshi, and she represents darkness. One can't be without the other." 

Setsuna decided it was her turn to add to the conversation. "Also, though it was unknown to many, Hotaru had sorcerer's magic. Most prominent within her was the ability to heal. She also had the power of illusion - to create images of real things. When the Queen of Saturn found out, she made Hotaru promise never to use it - quite like your own mother Serenity. After all, being the senshi of destruction and rebirth, not the mention the wielder of the Silence Glaive, who knew what power she could possess?" Seeing that Clow did not acknowledge the referral, she added, "The Silence Glaive is the deadliest weapon in the solar system. It was the power to destroy an entire planet." 

Silence drifted over the room as Clow absorbed the information. Finally, he said, "So do you wish to name her Hotaru or not?" Secretly, he wished to name her the name they had chosen together. 

Knowing what Clow felt without being told, Serenity placed a hand on his arm. "I wish to name her the name we picked out in the gardens." The Moon Queen looked down at her daughter. "You are Hotaru Tomoe no longer; you are now Yingfa Reed." The newly named Yingfa giggled in her mother's arms. 

As Setsuna started to leave, she looked back at what could only be called a family, and her heart ached. How she longed to have a family with the man she loved, but it seemed that it was not to be. With a sad smile, she left the room, temporarily unnoticed by the occupants. 

* * * 

Putting his paws on Serenity's knees, Cerberus carefully lifted himself up to look at the tiny bundle in his mistress' arms. Indigo eyes stared back into golden ones. "She's so small!" he whispered excitedly. This was the first time he had ever seen a real baby. And to think! It had come from inside his mistress! Most remarkable! 

Giggling, Serenity replied, "Well, she's only a few weeks old so she would be small. I'd be worried if she aged a couple years in a few weeks." She smiled when Yingfa patted Cerberus' face. In the past few months she had become very close with Cerberus, but less so with Yue, something she felt extremely guilty about. Her thoughts where interrupted by Yinfa yawning. 

"Okay Cerberus, it's Yingfa's nap time," said Serenity kindly. The Sun Guardian gave the baby one last cuddle before getting off Serenity. The lady got up (with help from Cerberus in regaining her balance) and went upstairs to put Yingfa in her cradle, situated in Clow's room where they both were now sleeping. 

Serenity looked one last time at her daughter before leaving the bedroom. Walking past the library, she caught sight of a figure. The Moon Queen knew it wasn't Clow, for her was in town, and it wasn't Setsuna because she had to be at the Time Gates. That only left one person: Yue. 

Slowly walking into the library, she saw that he was seated at a table, pouring over a book. When he caught sight of her, he promptly stopped what he had been doing. This disturbed Serenity greatly. Did he not feel comfortable with her? It was time to try and get closer to the Moon Guardian. 

"What are you looking at?" implored Serenity, stepping closer. Silently, Yue held up the book and handed it to her. She gasped when she saw the title. "Oh Selene! I didn't know that we had this! Setsuna must've saved this before the Kingdom fell!" 

Yue cocked his head to a side, but his expression remained impassive. "You can read it? It's in a different language than all the others." 

"Of course I can. It's in Lunarian." 

"Lunarian?" 

"Both the people and the language of the moon. You yourself resemble them… us." Serenity ran her hand over the aging silver cover. "This is our written history including all our beliefs and rituals. I should know, I had to study a book exactly like this for numerous years. Having to prepare to be Queen of the Silver Alliance is no easy task." Yue's eyes glittered with curiosity. "I never told you about that? Here, let me tell you now." 

Sitting in a chair next to the Moon Guardian, Serenity proceeded to tell him about her peoples' long and illustrious history. 

* * * 

"Did you have a nice day Serenity?" asked Clow from the bed. He watched his lover - no, soul mate - brush her long silver hair. She was quite a sight to see, what her lace nightgown and hair pooling on the ground beneath her. 

"Oh yes!" Serenity assured, casting a loving gaze at him. "First Cerberus and I sat with Yingfa and then I spent the afternoon with Yue telling him about the Silver Alliance and the Moon Kingdom." She got up off the stood she was seated at and climbed into the bed of black silk with Clow. He wrapped his arms around her waist as she continued. "I'm glad I had a chance to get closer with Yue. I felt so bad about being so distant from him." 

Holding her closer, Clow replied, "I know you did." He paused before adding, "You shouldn't get _too_ attached Serenity. You don't know when it will be time for us to… pass on. I don't want you to regret growing to love them." 

The Lunarian looked at Yingfa's tiny cradle. Soft breathing was coming from within. "What about Yingfa? What if we have to leave her right away? I don't think I could leave her in an orphanage - I know I couldn't!" Tears had welled up halfway through her outburst. 

Hugging her tightly, Clow whispered soothing words in his love's ear until she had stopped crying. "Listen, nothing will happen to Yingfa. If worse comes to worse, we'll leave her with my mother's family. They know all about magic. As soon as Yingfa's talent develops, they will train her." 

"Really?" 

The sorcerer nodded into Serenity's hair. "But that means we're going to have to go to Hong Kong. That's where the Clan is situated. We'll probably have to see them and give them some sort of explanation. We couldn't just leave Yingfa on their doorstep. It would be unethical. Don't worry, our daughter will be well taken care of." 

Nodding sleepily, Serenity let the slumber overtake her, quite looking forward to a good night's sleep. The Fates however, had different plans. 

* * *

**_FLASH!_**

A shadowed figure sat in a large armchair holding a staff with a sun atop. Two figures stood on each side, one with a humanoid form and the other with a feline form. Both had butterfly-like wings sprouting from their backs. The shadowed figure's mouth moved and the staff began to glow red. 

**FLASH!**

An adolescent girl stood in front of what appeared to be a scantily clad female monster. She wore a Sailor Senshi uniform with a blue, red and yellow-layered skirt. Her hair was done up in identical golden buns on either side of her head. Streamers of hair from the bottoms of the buns swirled in a non-existent wind, as did the feathers from the wings on her back. The girl pulled out of nowhere what could only be described as a staff, murmured some words and in a flash, the monster was gone. Taking one last look at the spot, the girl jumped and vanished. 

**FLASH!**

Three figures stood on the entrance to a shrine, while one his in the shadows. The middle figure lifted a staff. Both the sun and moon blacked out, leaving the world completely dark. People everywhere began to fall asleep. 

* * *

Shooting up in bed, Serenity panted to catch her breath. It had happened again: she had received visions of the future. The only difference was that this time she understood them better… well, except for the last one. The woman had no idea what that could possibly mean. 

Carefully untangling herself from Clow, she slipped out of her bed and quietly tiptoed out of bed. Opening the door, she saw the hallway was pitch black. "Glow," Serenity commanded quietly, lifting her hand. A glowing card immerged from Clow's room and burst into small glowing bubbles. AS she walked along, the little lights seemed to follow her. 

The air outside was chilly causing Serenity to wrap her arms around herself. There were no clouds tonight and a full moon seemed to spotlight her with its beams. The cobblestones were smooth beneath her bare feet. A slight breeze made both her fine lace nightgown and her long silver hair flutter behind her. 

She walked out to the backyard. The sent of the Sakura trees overwhelmed her. Serenity loved both the appearance and the smell, hence the reason her daughter Yingfa was named what she was. It was Chinese for Sakura or cherry blossom. As she continued, tiny pink blossoms fluttered around her. Coming up to one tree, she sat beneath it and reflected. 

Unknown to her, someone was watching her from a second story window. 

* * *

Yue watched as his Mistress walked through the backyard and finally settled under a tree, a strange emotion filling him. In fact, he felt it every time he looked at her. Today, he had felt that same strange emotion when he she had spent the afternoon with him in the library. He didn't know what it was, but he wanted her to look at him like she looked at Master. 

"Yue," said a voice from behind him. Turning around, he saw Setsuna. He knew from his Mistress that she as the Gate Guardian, knew almost everything and that it would be best to listen to her. "I know what it is you feel Yue." Yue turned to look out the window once again. "You mustn't act upon your feelings. I know you lover her, but she belongs with Clow. She thinks of you only as a friend - as her child." 

_Love_. What that what it was? Having read all about it, he knew exactly how it was described, but had no idea that that's what he was feeling. He was in love with his Mistress and according to Setsuna, he wasn't allowed to act on it. 

"I know it seems unfair," said Setsuna sympathetically. "I went through the exact same thing." 

Somehow Yue doubted that, but said nothing. Setsuna had never fallen in love with her creator. She had never found that she was in love, only to have it ripped away by another's words. No, she could have never been put through the exact same thing. Of this, he was sure. 

* * *

"So you're saying we're going to be reincarnated in the time of the new Clow Card master?" summarized Clow, looking intently at Serenity. 

"Um, yes?" responded Serenity, smiling sheepishly at him. 

Clow took off his spectacles and cleaned them with his robes before returning them to his nose. "This is unexpected," he said at last. A frowned covered his face. "But if we are to be born again - at least in some sense - then why is there going to be a new master for the cards?" 

Sighing, Serenity explained. "Because it is not our destiny, it's that girl's. Yes, we shall be reincarnated, but not as we are now. You're soul will be born again, not you physically. You both will be similar, no doubt of that. As for me, I'm a little different. My soul will always be the same - that's part of the… gift - that comes with merging with the Ginzuishou - but in my next life I will be a Sailor Senshi. I don't know why, but I suppose that being a senshi would alter my magic wielding… at least a little, therefore making me different. I don't know all the details. It would be better to ask Setsuna. I only caught the gist of it." She looked at her lover more intently. "We - you also have new guardians. Why we need them and how we made them, I know not, but they do start with you." 

Silence drifted over the room as Clow pondered[1] and Serenity watched, waiting for his reply. "Perhaps if you gave me an amulet or charm containing some of your magic, I would be able to create them and still keep the balance intact," suggested Clow, sipping his tea. 

"I suppose that would work," said Serenity, biting her lip. "Clow?" 

"Hmmm?" 

"Will - I mean to say - you and I, will we - are we going to be - would you want to be with me?" asked Serenity, worried tears prickling her eyes. A world without Clow would be horrible. She didn't know if she could stand it. 

Realization dawned on Clow. He took her hand in his and titled her chin so that his eyes bore into hers. 

"Always Serenity. Always." 

* * *

[1] I can't help it. Whenever I say ponder, pondered, pondering, I always think of "Pinky, are you pondering what I'm pondering?" Completely useless fact about _moi_, but I thought I'd add it anyways. 

A/N: Blah! I'm done. This thing has been rotting in my writing folder for… at least a month. I hate prewriting. It doesn't work. My motto is go with the flow. ANYWAYS, I need help. If someone would like to be my beta-reader/muse/whatever else you want to call it, I _really_ need one. I have so many ideas, and I need someone who knows a lot about both Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon (anime and manga) and Card Captor Sakura. In other words, you have to know as much as me, and I know… well, let's just say I need a new hobby! ^^;; So, um, yeah. Please send applications (or whatever) to kawaii_sakura_blossoms@yahoo.com Thankies! Ja ne! 


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